ENROLLMENT RISES 6% AT CSUN\Business, science, math classes added.

Byline: Sara Catania Daily News Staff Writer

Cal State Northridge President Blenda Wilson said Monday that she was encouraged by a 6 percent increase in spring term enrollment.

Anticipating the increased demand, new classes were added throughout the campus in popular courses like business law, language, math and the sciences, said Margaret Fieweger, associate vice president for undergraduate studies.

"There's been a real commitment on the part of the faculty and the staff to improve the availability of classes," Fieweger said.

On the first day back, 23,773 students were signed up at CSUN, an increase of nearly 1,500 over last spring. But that's still well below enrollment before the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, which caused more than $300 million in damage to the university.

"We are trying to get our enrollment back as rapidly as we can," said Wilson. "Our estimate assumes that it would take four years for our enrollment to recover. That was done in looking at other campuses that had natural disasters of far less significance than ours."

The university is well on its way to recovery, Wilson said in a meeting with Daily News reporters and editors.

CSUN has received $167 million in federal relief, but repairs have been at a standstill since the summer because of delays at the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

After a meeting with FEMA head James Witt earlier this month, Wilson said, she is confident the rest of CSUN's funding request will be considered soon.

The money would be used to repair the core buildings on campus, including administration, fine arts and two libraries.

"If we receive that money, we can finish the core of the campus," Wilson said. "If we are not able to get the lump sum payment, the cost of repair will, of course, continue to rise."

In the meantime, students make do with temporary classrooms.

At the student computer center, housed in a large, windowless metal tent, the air was warm and stagnant. A dozen students labored before monitors as low-wattage overhead lights buzzed loudly.

The noise did not bother 22-year-old Arron Khairzada, just starting his first semester toward a liberal arts degree.

"Actually, it's kinda cool," he said. "I've been told just to bring some headphones" to drown out the drone.

Khairzada, who lives in Covina, said he specifically chose CSUN because of the postquake improvements.

"I knew the rebuilding would get them a lot more technology," he said. "I knew there'd be a lot more new stuff going in to make it better than before."

CSUN DATA

Opening day enrollment, Spring term, at Cal State Northridge

1996 23,773

1995 22,289

1994 24,526

1993 25,306

CAPTION(S):

CHART[ordinal indicator, masculine]PHOTO

(1 -- color) Eva de Porcel reads while waiting in line Monday at CSUN. Michael Owen Baker/Daily News (2) Students walk to and from classes at CSUN on Monday, marking the beginning of the spring semester at the Northridge campus. (3) Blenda Wilson Anticipates four-year recovery Chart CSUN data (see text)